{"id":17514,"date":"2024-01-01T18:15:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T23:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wfsu.org\/local-routes\/?post_type=wfsu-news&p=17514"},"modified":"2024-01-10T16:50:11","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T21:50:11","slug":"florida-am-head-coach-willie-simmons-joins-dukes-coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"wfsu-news","link":"https:\/\/wfsu.org\/local-routes\/wfsu-news\/florida-am-head-coach-willie-simmons-joins-dukes-coaching-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons joins Duke\u2019s coaching staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

FAMU\u2019s Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes<\/a> announced Monday that head coach Willie Simmons<\/a> will be leaving the program to become an assistant coach with the Duke Blue Devils.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cAt 2 p.m. today, Coach Simmons submitted, and I accepted his resignation letter as he has chosen to pursue another opportunity,\u201d Sykes said via Zoom call.<\/p>\n

\"FAMU<\/p>\n

Simmons, who just led the Rattlers to their first Black College National Championship in over two decades, will serve as running backs coach<\/a> for Duke under the leadership of head football coach Manny Diaz. Both Simmons and Diaz crossed paths in the early 2000s while coaching together at Middle Tennessee State. Simmons oversaw the running backs, while Diaz controlled the defense at the time. Then a decade later, Diaz\u2019s son Colin began his coaching career on the campus of Florida A&M as a graduate assistant under Simmons.<\/p>\n

While FAMU\u2019s athletic director did not go into detail on why the Tallahassee-native chose to resign, many fans speculate the decision may have had something to do with money or the lack thereof.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

On Friday, Sykes asked the university\u2019s Alumni Association to rally together to raise $25,000 to assist in the \u201ccompensation\u201d of FAMU\u2019s football coaches. While the alumni group shattered the goal by six figures, FAMU was unable to keep the coach for another season.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s [Coach Simmons] made it very clear that the recent commitment to retain and support him will be very necessary for our program to sustain this level of success,\u201d said FAMU\u2019s Sykes. I appreciate him advancing those efforts to ensure the long-term success of our program even with his departure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 2018, Simmons secured 45 wins, including an FCS playoff berth, a Southwestern Athletic Conference title, and an HBCU national trophy. On X (formerly Twitter), Simmons thanked FAMU staff members and his players for their support over the years.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy deepest gratitude is to the young men I\u2019ve been blessed to lead,\u201d Simmons wrote. \u201cThese young men are our future leaders, and I am proud of the great professionals, husbands, fathers and community advocates they are destined to become.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Sykes, the university will be moving forward with its current cornerbacks coach James Colzie III<\/a> as the new interim head coach. The athletics department has begun its search for its next permanent coach for the 2024 football season. <\/p>\n

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